Forget abouten record. We the unbea broke it. Now it’s about performance
FOR the past 19 months, talk of historical landmarks has been the soundtrack to the lives of the Celtic players.
Back in January, the Lisbon Lions’ record was surpassed in timely fashion as the team clocked up 27 games without defeat. Last month in Perth saw a new all-time British mark of 63 undefeated matches registered.
Now 68 games unbeaten ahead of tonight’s match with Hamilton, a page in the annals of history has long been assured.
Such unrelenting success brings with it an unusual kind of pressure. The longer the ball is in the air, the greater the fear of it touching the ground.
Although fatigue was unquestionably at play as Brendan Rodgers’ side contrived to lose a two-goal lead at Easter Road last Sunday, the prospect of seeing such a remarkable run finally come to an end seemed to invoke a degree of nervousness.
Strange as it may sound, the burden of finally succumbing to the inevitable seemed to be weighing heavily on their minds.
‘I’ve said to them that it doesn’t matter,’ said Rodgers. ‘I’ve reiterated to them to forget about the record. I’ve told them: “You broke that games ago”.
‘It’s about performance. You can’t worry about the run. Our worry is our game and we want to play better. We want to defend better.’
The final minutes of Sunday’s draw were a case in point. After the concession of two sloppy goals, only Mikael Lustig’s positioning on the line denied Oli Shaw a winner and spared Craig Gordon’s blushes.
Those wishing to use the dramatic finale as further evidence of a Celtic regression this term still had their ammunition.
But the argument floundered on one salient point. For the 20th time in Scottish football this season, they emerged undefeated. If there has been a backward step, it has been almost imperceptible.
‘We had two draws last year and we have five now,’ added Rodgers. ‘I think it tells you that, last season, we had the best season in Scottish football history and they don’t happen all the time.
‘This year, we’ve made a tremendous start and we’ve won the League Cup, we’re five clear with a game in hand, and have six games until the winter break.
‘At this stage compared to last season, we have conceded less. We’ve conceded ten and last season it was 15.’
That said, lately there have been signs that Celtic’s aura of invincibility is not quite as strong. They required a late Scott Sinclair penalty to salvage a draw from Motherwell two weeks ago and were relieved to leave Leith with the same outcome. If there is an expectation of normal service being resumed tonight, and when Partick Thistle come calling next week, Hearts, Aberdeen, Dundee and Rangers will test their resolve before the winter shutdown. ‘We share that responsibility to be better for the next game,’ said Rodgers. ‘The story for me on Sunday was simple. I thought we were very, very good up until they scored their first goal. ‘The game becomes emotional. We lose control and stop passing as crisply as we had done. All of a sudden, we concede a second. We still had chances but we could have lost the game, too.
‘But it also really focuses on how great these players have been because it showed in the run of 68 games what can happen in a game of football that could allow us to lose a game in the last minute.’
Players admitting to feeling the pace of a relentless schedule is a rarity. However, so drained did some of Rodgers’ ever-presents look at the weekend that fresh legs are anticipated this evening.
‘We have to utilise the squad to keep a freshness,’ said Rodgers. ‘You see some teams have played Saturday/Wednesday/Saturday and are now losing players through injury. It’s tough.
‘But these players here have been doing that since June. That’s what you have to do at a big club — you have to be at your physical and mental best as often as possible and these guys have been great.’
Having spent the past three matches watching from the bench, Leigh Griffiths’ limbs will feel as well-rested as anyone’s.
Odsonne Edouard’s hat-trick against Motherwell in the 5-1 league game may have earned the teenager the right to be cast as Moussa Dembele’s back-up against Anderlecht. But the fact Griffiths was still out in the cold last Sunday did raise eyebrows.
Rodgers’ response to questions about how the striker has handled a brief spell of inactivity revealed little.
‘I don’t know. You would need to ask him,’ replied the Celtic boss. ‘I can only speak about him if you speak about every single player that doesn’t play.
‘I respect that he’s Scottish and that he plays for Scotland but, if you ask me about Leigh, you have to ask why Moussa Dembele or Kristoffer Ajer isn’t playing, or why Erik Sviatchenko isn’t playing.
‘There’s no story in it. I’m picking what I think is the best team. Odsonne was coming off a hat-trick against Motherwell when he was brilliant.
‘It’s about picking players in a good moment and it’s a long season. Leigh is a fantastic young striker for us and what I have now is three players who can contribute depending on what type of game I need to play.
‘Moussa and Leigh have their qualities — and Odsonne is a combination of both. I thought he did well against Hibs.’
On this particular issue, Rodgers finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place. In his preferred one-striker system, having just two strikers in a squad seems risky. But three can often feel like a crowd.
The naked truth is Celtic would have the depth to retain the Premiership title even if Dembele moves on next month.
‘There will be speculation about a number of players and a few clubs added to the list,’ added Rodgers.
‘It’s part of the nature of a team playing well and players performing at a good level. Others then see potential. But they will only move on when we want them to.’